2016 Mk7 Golf GTi rust
Discussion
Try and cut a long story short...I'm after peoples experiences of rust and maybe any paint sprayers/experts.
So found some rust bubbles a while back, size of a thumb nail on lower back part of the sill on the car, say just above the side skirt in front of the rear wheel.
Took it to VW, warranty guy had a look, found 2 more spots nearby it. Said it looked like a paint defect and he'd send it to the next level who approve paint repairs.
Next level up say it's a stone chip that's caused it and wash their hands of it. Warranty guy says he thinks it isn't, can they take another look. (they only go on his photos, they don't view in person). They look again and say nope, still think it's a stone chip.
Now it's obviously not a stone chip as there is no chip. The paint has lifted up from the surface in all 3 of these spots.
I went to a paint specialist some where local and he reckoned it's rusted underneath the spots He had a good look round the car and found one more spot and 2 even worse bits.
The 2 worst being under the front doors, on both sides of the car! Pics attached of these...paint has actually come away. There is no way stones have chipped identical places on my doors!
So I'm booked in to go back to the warranty guy and to go from there. I can't see how they can say stone chip now.
But my worry is if there is more to this? Is the paint bad everywhere and it's just not festered to the surface yet? The warranty guy did a paint thickness test and said it's as it should be.
I'm just worried I may have a lemon of a car, paint or rust wise.
I'm the 2nd owner. Car was bought from a VW dealer who ran it as a demo for 6 months.
So found some rust bubbles a while back, size of a thumb nail on lower back part of the sill on the car, say just above the side skirt in front of the rear wheel.
Took it to VW, warranty guy had a look, found 2 more spots nearby it. Said it looked like a paint defect and he'd send it to the next level who approve paint repairs.
Next level up say it's a stone chip that's caused it and wash their hands of it. Warranty guy says he thinks it isn't, can they take another look. (they only go on his photos, they don't view in person). They look again and say nope, still think it's a stone chip.
Now it's obviously not a stone chip as there is no chip. The paint has lifted up from the surface in all 3 of these spots.
I went to a paint specialist some where local and he reckoned it's rusted underneath the spots He had a good look round the car and found one more spot and 2 even worse bits.
The 2 worst being under the front doors, on both sides of the car! Pics attached of these...paint has actually come away. There is no way stones have chipped identical places on my doors!
So I'm booked in to go back to the warranty guy and to go from there. I can't see how they can say stone chip now.
But my worry is if there is more to this? Is the paint bad everywhere and it's just not festered to the surface yet? The warranty guy did a paint thickness test and said it's as it should be.
I'm just worried I may have a lemon of a car, paint or rust wise.
I'm the 2nd owner. Car was bought from a VW dealer who ran it as a demo for 6 months.
If I don't get a good result from the 2nd appointment then I will have no choice but to complain and take things further. Members of VW complaints department have been copied in on emails to be made aware I wasn't happy with the outcome of the first decision.
I've included a photo to show where the defects are.
A is where the previous attached photos are, but 1 photo is from the other side of the car.
B is where the original rust bubbles were found that were said to be stone chips. I can't get a good enough photo to show them clearly.
I am the 2nd owner of the car, bought from VW dealership and one of the staff used it as their demo for 6 months.
My main worry is still if they sort this issue does it point to an inherent issue with rust on the car? I'm worried about this because of how early in its life it's showing rust already and in such odd places.
Independent report sounds like a good idea from another sprayer.
I've included a photo to show where the defects are.
A is where the previous attached photos are, but 1 photo is from the other side of the car.
B is where the original rust bubbles were found that were said to be stone chips. I can't get a good enough photo to show them clearly.
I am the 2nd owner of the car, bought from VW dealership and one of the staff used it as their demo for 6 months.
My main worry is still if they sort this issue does it point to an inherent issue with rust on the car? I'm worried about this because of how early in its life it's showing rust already and in such odd places.
Independent report sounds like a good idea from another sprayer.
So I have an appointment with VW approved repairers in Milton Keynes this Friday.
Previously I went to VW in Bedford where I live as it's closer. If the Bedford VW had got it approved my car would have been trailered to Bishops Stortford to be repaired which I wasn't keen on. At least with MK it's repaired in mk.
The initial meeting is with the bodyshop too, not VW which cuts out the warranty middle man unlike Bedford.
Previous poster saying about swirl marks on his black golf R.....the mk VW showroom is like a green house, glass everywhere so the sun gets in from all angles. When I have been looking at golfs in the showrooms, ALL of them had awful swirl marks! White, black, lapiz blue. Some brand new too.
And the you see the courtesy washers washing cars with plastic brush heads and you know why. That's why I always refuse a courtesy wash if it's in there!
Previously I went to VW in Bedford where I live as it's closer. If the Bedford VW had got it approved my car would have been trailered to Bishops Stortford to be repaired which I wasn't keen on. At least with MK it's repaired in mk.
The initial meeting is with the bodyshop too, not VW which cuts out the warranty middle man unlike Bedford.
Previous poster saying about swirl marks on his black golf R.....the mk VW showroom is like a green house, glass everywhere so the sun gets in from all angles. When I have been looking at golfs in the showrooms, ALL of them had awful swirl marks! White, black, lapiz blue. Some brand new too.
And the you see the courtesy washers washing cars with plastic brush heads and you know why. That's why I always refuse a courtesy wash if it's in there!
chan61922 said:
Funnily enough mate I bought the car from vindis beford lol same dealer you visited? Yeah it’s shocking this is how cars are being treated guess they couldn’t care less, neither do most owners when they buy because 9 times out of 10 there leased. Cheeky gits managed to mask most of it with polish or wax so I didn’t pick up on a lot of it. Hope things work out for you in MK, fingers crossed let us know how you got on
Yeh mate that's the one. The warranty guy is based down the road at the Audi garage. Sneaky aren't they. Bet they know that black cars show it the most.
Keep an eye out for rust then on yours!!
I ordered some touch up paint so I could fill in the stone chips on my front bumper and bonnet and they don't do them for the oryx white colour that mine is. But the guy that served me didn't tell me that an ordered me an aerosol can to touch it up with.....I just laughed when he brought it out. What am I going to do with that!!!
Smiljan said:
burger81 said:
chan61922 said:
Funnily enough mate I bought the car from vindis beford lol same dealer you visited? Yeah it’s shocking this is how cars are being treated guess they couldn’t care less, neither do most owners when they buy because 9 times out of 10 there leased. Cheeky gits managed to mask most of it with polish or wax so I didn’t pick up on a lot of it. Hope things work out for you in MK, fingers crossed let us know how you got on
Yeh mate that's the one. The warranty guy is based down the road at the Audi garage. Sneaky aren't they. Bet they know that black cars show it the most.
Keep an eye out for rust then on yours!!
I ordered some touch up paint so I could fill in the stone chips on my front bumper and bonnet and they don't do them for the oryx white colour that mine is. But the guy that served me didn't tell me that an ordered me an aerosol can to touch it up with.....I just laughed when he brought it out. What am I going to do with that!!!
No idea Halfords did the paint match thing...may have a look at that thanks mate.
So saw the warranty guy for VW Milton Keynes earlier.
He had a look and said to him it looks like the galvanising hasn't worked in those areas and maybe when the car heats up and cools it's caused the paintwork to come away from the body.
So both him and Bedford VW warranty guy think the same. But someone higher up who authorises claims thought it was a stone chip.
Mk guy said as I've already got a claim made with Bedford that he won't submit another but he will give me his report. He gave me VW customer complaints number and told me to call them and explain my situation.
I did and they were very helpful and seemed keen to get it sorted. Took a lot of details from me, and sounded like they take complaints seriously. So should here back in 48 hours from them.
The thing I was saying to the mk guy and he kind of agreed with is the car has 3 year paint warranty as standard, so it doesn't matter if VW think it's a stone chip and I think it's a more serious issue down to poor paint. The fact of the matter is the paint is not fit for purpose no matter what. A stone chip should not rust underneath that quickly. So as it's not past 3 years they should have sorted it anyway.
Does that make sense?
I'm a bit more hopeful of a positive outcome now. Still seeing Bedford warranty guy next Friday again anyway to show him the new bits of rust in the panel gap, and let's see how it goes this week.
He had a look and said to him it looks like the galvanising hasn't worked in those areas and maybe when the car heats up and cools it's caused the paintwork to come away from the body.
So both him and Bedford VW warranty guy think the same. But someone higher up who authorises claims thought it was a stone chip.
Mk guy said as I've already got a claim made with Bedford that he won't submit another but he will give me his report. He gave me VW customer complaints number and told me to call them and explain my situation.
I did and they were very helpful and seemed keen to get it sorted. Took a lot of details from me, and sounded like they take complaints seriously. So should here back in 48 hours from them.
The thing I was saying to the mk guy and he kind of agreed with is the car has 3 year paint warranty as standard, so it doesn't matter if VW think it's a stone chip and I think it's a more serious issue down to poor paint. The fact of the matter is the paint is not fit for purpose no matter what. A stone chip should not rust underneath that quickly. So as it's not past 3 years they should have sorted it anyway.
Does that make sense?
I'm a bit more hopeful of a positive outcome now. Still seeing Bedford warranty guy next Friday again anyway to show him the new bits of rust in the panel gap, and let's see how it goes this week.
Sooo.....after a paint inspection from a 3rd party sorted by VW, VW have agreed to sort out the rust at the front on both sides, but say they will not cover the bubbling at the rear as that is due to external influences.
Sigh.
This is such hard work...a multi million pound company can't fork out a few more hundred quid whilst it is in the body shop getting the same work done about a metre away!!!!
The most annoying thing is having to go through one guy who has to speak to the other guy who takes days to come back to me.
No wonder people just give up!
I'm not letting it go, they need to sort it all. I've asked to see the report and findings from the paint guy but the warranty guy at VW said he's not sure if he can share it, he will have to ask!
Why is it all so bloody secret!
Sigh.
This is such hard work...a multi million pound company can't fork out a few more hundred quid whilst it is in the body shop getting the same work done about a metre away!!!!
The most annoying thing is having to go through one guy who has to speak to the other guy who takes days to come back to me.
No wonder people just give up!
I'm not letting it go, they need to sort it all. I've asked to see the report and findings from the paint guy but the warranty guy at VW said he's not sure if he can share it, he will have to ask!
Why is it all so bloody secret!
Still getting nowhere with this. Emailed directors at the dealership I bought the car from, said I'd be going to the vehicle ombudsman, which is also turning into a long drawn out process.
Some people say rust is like cancer, it'll keep coming back down the line.
So I'm debating whether to sell the car after its repaired. Thoughts?
Some people say rust is like cancer, it'll keep coming back down the line.
So I'm debating whether to sell the car after its repaired. Thoughts?
It's funny, I gave the car a good clean yesterday in prep for it going to get half the work done on Monday, and man it looked so good all clean.
I've almost gone full circle. Don't want to sell it now,think I'll regret it. So VW can do the bad bits under warranty, which has been agreed and I've found someone local who can do the other bits for about £400.
He made me feel more confident after he talked me through how they will fix it and respray it.
VW are still w*nkers though!
Just hope their body shop do a decent job as well.
I've almost gone full circle. Don't want to sell it now,think I'll regret it. So VW can do the bad bits under warranty, which has been agreed and I've found someone local who can do the other bits for about £400.
He made me feel more confident after he talked me through how they will fix it and respray it.
VW are still w*nkers though!
Just hope their body shop do a decent job as well.
So got the car back last night....
Rust has gone but they've done the minimum possible in terms of respray. The rust was on the bottom of the front wing but they've not resprayed the whole front wing on either side!
I know this as they both had stone chips which haven't been covered over.
From speaking to other body shops they said they'd expect the whole panel to be redone.
Also the car was trailered to and from the body shop as to not put any mileage on the car, yet it's done 1.2 miles more than when it left. Very minor but I'm annoyed that someone has driven it that far....if there is a reasonable explanation for it, then fine.
Also had a creaking from the front offside suspension when going over speed humps, the car never did that before so I'm not happy about that. Wonder if that's an effect of being tied down to the trailer by that wheel?
So not the best result, will raise these points with VW and see what happens - probably nothing!!
Rust has gone but they've done the minimum possible in terms of respray. The rust was on the bottom of the front wing but they've not resprayed the whole front wing on either side!
I know this as they both had stone chips which haven't been covered over.
From speaking to other body shops they said they'd expect the whole panel to be redone.
Also the car was trailered to and from the body shop as to not put any mileage on the car, yet it's done 1.2 miles more than when it left. Very minor but I'm annoyed that someone has driven it that far....if there is a reasonable explanation for it, then fine.
Also had a creaking from the front offside suspension when going over speed humps, the car never did that before so I'm not happy about that. Wonder if that's an effect of being tied down to the trailer by that wheel?
So not the best result, will raise these points with VW and see what happens - probably nothing!!
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